


Christmas Cards

by rescueme



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-08 17:08:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4313337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rescueme/pseuds/rescueme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niki and James are a happy family with their adopted son Kimi Raikkonen, and discuss sending christmas cards</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Cards

“So what do you think of it?" 

Niki leans over the hardwood kitchen table, from where he is perfecting the dark red ribbon he is wrapping on a gift, to inspect the card that James is holding out in front of him. 

"Hmmm." 

"Cute, isn’t it? Kimi is looking at the camera, that’s good." 

Niki nods, glancing silently back at the image of his little family- of the picture taken of the three of them at a F1 party that fall. Kimi is held in James’ arms, his little hand pressed against his taller father’s chest, gazing at the camera with a look of fascination and mischeivious curiosity, smiling shyly, showing his new teeth, his straight, platinum blonde hair falling over his little forehead and with icy blue eyes wide, his chubby cheeks pulled back in his small smile. Niki stands beside his small son, his eyes down, looking down at Kimi as he straightens the baby boy’s sweater. James meanwhile, is absolutely beaming at the camera, with his wide, enthusiastic grin, while Niki is smiling slightly, as though smiling to himself at how big their little Finn has grown. 

Niki frowns, straining to remember who took the picture. Was it Clay? Luca? 

"Francois took the picture, darling.” James says, as though reading Niki’s mind, setting down the Christmas card. Niki nods to himself, as he hears the wondrous sound of laughter being caring through the cool, winter wind. The two former drivers look up, smiling in unison as they see their toddler son trudging through the foot of snow in their Vienna backyard, bundled up in his little blue snowsuit, tripping and sliding over the surface, which only makes the little boy laugh harder. Niki feels his heart warm as he watches the scene, of his son happily relishing the winter wonderland. 

“He loves the snow.” James comments, sighing contently. 

“How long has he been outside?” Niki asks, watching as Kimi jams his hand, covered by a mitten, into a snowbank. 

“He won’t freeze, Niki love, don’t worry.” James tells his husband, reaching out to slide his palm along the Austrian’s waist. The brunette only nods, keeping his gaze down. 

“You really don’t like the card?” The tall blonde asks, tilting his head, and Niki looks away, sighing. 

“Is not that.” The smaller man responds, his voice thickened by his deep accent. “Is just that…my face is in full view. The burns, the scars, all of it. It looks red." 

James pauses, watching his husband’s face carefully, looking for signs of sadness and distress. “Are you worried of what people will think?” When Niki doesn’t respond, the Brit leans forward, wrapping his arms comfortingly around Niki’s shoulders, kissing the brunette’s neck softly. “They will be reminded of how brave you are, and how talented, and how brilliant you are. They will remember how I almost lost you, how you survived, and how I, we, are so lucky to have you.” 

Niki licks his lip, sighing heavily. “Is not what other people care that bothers me. I don’t give a shit about them. I care about Kimi, and how my scars may affect him.” 

"They won’t affect him.” James tells Niki gently, reminding the Austrian of the discussion they had been having since they began wanting to adopt a child. “They will only teach him and enlighten him more about bravery and the past." 

Niki breaths, feeling James’ calming hands stroking his arms, and sees the Christmas card on the table, with the words written below the photograph of them. 

‘Frohe weihnachten! Merry Christmas! Hyvää Joulua! 

From, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, and Kimi Hunt-Lauda Raikkonen’ 

"Are who are we sending this to?” Niki asks. 

“My parents, Francois, Clay, a short list of a few fellow drivers, Luca, the McLaren team." 

"The whole team?” Niki interjects sharply, and James laughs, kissing Niki’s temple, where the skin is rippled and pink. 

“Don’t worry, ratty! We’re adorable." 

Niki sighs, looking ahead of them, seeing once more their adorable, beautiful son, rolling around in the pure white snow. 

Now, Niki sits in front of the fireplace, gazing at the only photograph he could find this year in which both he and Kimi are smiling. It was taken at a dinner, and Niki is in a suit, his burns faded only a slight bit, and he is sitting in a white chair with Kimi seated on his lap. Kimi, who has grown so much in the past year, with more hair and longer arms and legs, and he is leaning into his father’s chest, smiling to himself as he plays with his father’s hands. His father’s hands, which have deep, puffy, burned scars along the wrists, and one hand with a silver wedding ring. Kimi’s pudgy fingers play with the ring, and Niki, in the photograph, is looking at Kimi, and is smiling, with only his protruding, “rat” teeth showing. 

Niki looks up as Kimi is seated on the living room floor of their Vienna home, looking through the stacked of wrapped presents under the tree waiting for him for Christmas day. “Daddy!” He says loudly, pointing to a box. “Is this one from Papa?” 

Niki shakes his head to his son, his voice low. “No Kimster, that one is also from me.” 

'Thank you for your support' this year’s Christmas card reads, in English, German, and Finnish, 'have a merry Christmas,' 

'From Niki Lauda and Kimi Hunt-Lauda Raikkonen, 

and to James, 

we miss you.’

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for the angst at the end, i had to


End file.
